The Detroit Lions have been strengthening their defense gradually since head coach Dan Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes arrived. However, one source suggests that it might be time to make a major addition.
Bleacher Report proposed that the Lions could try to acquire Joey Bosa, a prominent player from the Los Angeles Chargers, to join emerging star Aidan Hutchinson. According to the report, enhancing the pass rush could ease the pressure on Detroit’s struggling secondary and enhance the team’s chances of winning the Super Bowl.
Lions Give Up High Draft Pick in Trade Proposal
In Bleacher Report’s trade proposal, the Lions would acquire Bosa in exchange for a second-round pick — the No. 61 overall selection. It is uncertain if the Chargers would agree to trade Bosa for a pick of that value, but other sources have suggested that he might be on the move during this offseason. SI.com’s James Brizuela observed that the Chargers have a significant amount of salary cap space to clear and may consider trading Bosa to create more flexibility.
If the Lions aim to acquire Bosa, they might face competition. Chargers insider Daniel Popper of 95.7 The Game mentioned that the San Francisco 49ers could also be interested in Bosa due to his desire to play alongside his brother, Niners edge rusher Nick Bosa.
“Joey Bosa has publicly expressed his desire to play with his brother,” Popper said. “Bosa has a base salary of $15 million this year, $17 million next year. I’m not very knowledgeable about the Niners’ cap situation, but those are the figures for the next two years. So, we will see. I think the Chargers should at least consider offers. And if they do, I believe there are several options that would make sense for Joey Bosa.”
This is not the first time Bleacher Report has suggested that the Lions could pursue Bosa. In February, writer Alex Kay suggested that Bosa could be the piece the Detroit’s inconsistent pass rush needs.
“Joey Bosa would be the ideal choice for Detroit,” Kay wrote. “He not only excels as a pass rusher, amassing an impressive 67 sacks in his first 93 career games, but he is also a tough, hardworking talent who would be a perfect cultural fit among the resilient group assembled by head coach Dan Campbell.”
Lions Highly Praise Aidan Hutchinson
While many insiders predict that the Lions will bolster their edge rush this offseason, the team seems content with Hutchinson’s progress. Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, has accumulated 21 sacks in his first two NFL seasons. The Michigan native discussed the franchise’s growth during that time.
“Growing up with the 0-16 team, growing up with just the ‘Same Old Lions’ phrase, it’s amazing to see where we are now and to see that we’re overturning those old phrases, we’re creating new ones,” Hutchinson told NBC Sports’ Mike Tirico in January. “And, I’ve been thinking about it and a lot of the little kids growing up are viewing these Lions that we have right now, and they get to grow up with this and what we’re going to have for years. So, I’m happy for those kids.”
